Protective visor



N0 17, 1942 M. J. o. LOBELLE 2,302,231

PROTECTIVE vIsoR Filed Feb. 15, 1940 8 sheets-sheet 1 ,7m/infr@ Nov. 17, 1942.

M. J. o. LQBELLE PROTECTIVE VISOR Filed Feb. 15, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 17, 1942 M. J. o. LOBELLE PROTECTIVE VISOR w 2 t M ,e e ME h .B S. V0 L IN w 0 L h. w S ,0 8

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Nov. 17, 1942.

M. J. o. LOBELLE PROTECTIVE VISOR lFiled Feb. l5, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 wfg-Nro Mimi. Jl/LES 0 LMLOBELLE) rafwveya Nov. 17, 1942. M. J. o. LOBELLE PROTECTIVE 'VISOR Filed Feb. l5, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 "Nov, 17, 1942.

M. J. o. LOBELLE PROTECTIVE VISOR Filed Feb. 15,' 1940 .8 Sheets-Shea?I 6 NOV' 17, 1942 M. J. o. LOBELLE PRoTEcTIvE'vIsoR Filed Feb. l5, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 NOV. 17, 1942. M 1 Q LOBELLE 2,302,231

PROTECTIVE VISOR `Filed Feb. 15, 1940 s sheets-sheet a Patented Nov. 17, 1942 Frison assignor to The Fairey Aviation Company ited, Hayes, Middlesex, England Lim- Application February 15, 1940, Serial No. 319,126 In Great Britain November 27, 1939 21 Claims.

For the purpose of protecting the eyes of the wearer of a helmet or the like (primarily a mel ber of .the defence forces in warfare) it has been proposed to attach, e. g. to the brim of a helmet, a piece of iine steel chainmesh which can be raised and lowered like a ladys veil; this device is known as the Cruise visor.

` The object of the present invention is to facilitate the raising and lowering of such a visor and comprises a visor for pivotal mounting in relation to a steel helmet, so that it may be lowered to`an operative position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet or raised to an inoperative position inside the helmet.

The visor may be supported from the helmet by means of a link, or a pair of links, one at each side of the helmet, one end of said link, or one end of each link of said pair, being pivotally mounted on an axis transversely of the helmet at, or near to, the underside of the front of the brim thereof and by means of a pair of links, one at each side of the helmet, and one end of each of which is similarly pivoted on a transverse axis situated in rear of the mst-mentioned axis, e. g. at, or just behind, the plane of the eyes, said front and rear links being pivoted at their other ends to the visor, e. g. on a common axis at the lower rear corner of the visor.

Preferably the links pivoted on the rear axis are shorter than the link or links pivoted on the front axis. To compensate for the difference of curvature on which should swing those ends of the links remote from their respective pivotal axes, the longer link may be resilient so that it bends slightly as the visor is raised or lowered; alternatively one or more of the pivotal mountings may be arranged to provide such compensation, for example, a loose pivotal connection, or a resilient bearing.

`The visor itself may consist of thin sheet steel suitably perforated or slit or it may consist of a framework on which is stretched iine steel chain mesh or like flexible reticulated material. In either event the general'conguration of the Visor or its frame, as the case may be, may be such as to correspond with the general configuration of the helmet at the front part of its crown so that when the links are swung upwards about their transverse axes the visor .will slide over, and lie snugly against, the inside of said front part (whether the helmet be oi the standard type known commonly as a battle bowler, a iremans helmet, o1" whether Vit be headwear of Ya type intended for kus'e .'bylmetal furnace workers, metal Welders or other workers whose veyes are exposed to danger).

The arrangement of the links should be such that when the visor is in its flowered position its lower edge should extend down Vto a level adequate to aord protection tothe eyes, whilst whenthe visor is raised, its lower edge should be above eye level but should extend down sufficiently below the brim of the helmet to enable said edge to be grasped to draw down the visor.

VDue to the positions of the pivotal axes of the links and to the vdifference of curvature mentioned above, the action of raising or lowering the visor moves the linkage thro-ugh a dead centre position, so that the visor tends to remain, automatically, in the position to which it is moved; moreover, this accelerates the downward movement of the visor when it is being brought into use.

The visor of this invention may be pivotally attached directly to the brim of a steel helmet or it may be pivotally attached to a separate rim, frame or the like which is adapted to be secured permanently or temporarily to such a brimor a combination of these mountings may be employed.

' The invention is illustrated by the accompanying .drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view'of a helmet provided with a visor in accordance with one form of the invention, the visor being shown in the lowered position; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the front part of the helmet on a larger scale; Figure 3 is a similar View showing the Visor in its raised position; Figure 4 is a front elevation showing the visor in the low-v ered position; Figure 5 is an inverted plan showing the visor in the raised position; Figure 6 corresponds with Figure 2 but shows a modification of the invention; Figure '7 is a detail section through the centre of the brim of the helmet shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is a detail section on the line 8 8, Figure 6; Figure 9 is a similar view to Figure S showing a detail modication; Figure 10 corresponds with Figures 2 and 6 but shows a further modification of the invention; VFigure l1 is an inverted plan thereof, partsbeing omitted; Figure 12 is a detail section through'the centre of the brim of the helmet shown inLFigure ll; and Figure 1,3 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation lillustrating a .still furthei` modification of the invention.V

As illustrated there is secured to the underside of 'th'e'front of the brim a of a Vsteelhelmet a bearingv b 'for a stout wire U-shaped member the limbs c c of which Vmay thus be swung as links about the axis of the bearing b. At, or just behind, the plane of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet there is secured to the inside of the brim a, at each side thereof, a bifurcated stud d between the limbs of which is pivoted a link e which is shorter and stouter than the link constituted by a limb c. The free ends of these links c and e are pivoted together and to the lower rear corner of a visor f as at g.

The Visor f is formed of thin sheet steel suitably perforated and shaped to conform generally with the configuration of the helmet at the front part of its crown h. At the front of its lower edge the visor f is formed with a hook 9' by which it may be pulled downwards and a tongue lc constituting a part of this hook is formed as a spring clip to engage the lower part of the front of the crown h to retain the visor in its raised position in which it lies snugly against the inside of the front part of the crown It as shown in Figure 3. To assist in this raising operation the edge of the visor f is pressed out as at m m to present finger grips as it is desirable that it should be raised by upward pressure at both sides simultaneously.

When the hook 7' is pulled down the visor f is lowered from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 2. As the links c and e swing about their pivotal mountings at b and d their opposite ends should travel along arcuate paths of different curvature but as said opposite ends are both pivcted to the visor at g and as the link e is stouter than the link c the latter bends sufficiently to compensate for that difference in curvature. Conversely when upward pressure is applied to the finger grips m m the visor f is moved upwards from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3. During the up and down movements of the visor f the linkage c e moves through a dead centre position and the visor j hence tends to remain, automatically, in the extreme position to which it is moved, whilst the spring clip k serves to prevent accidental movement from the raised position of the visor.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 6, 'l and 8, the bearing b for the links c c instead of being secured to the brim a of the helmet is secured to a plate n shaped to underlie said brim and formed with a retroverted lip o to embrace the edge of said brim, the lip o being enlarged as at p to give passage to a screwed shank q on the stud d, which shank is passed through apertures in the plate n, the brim a and the enlargement p and engaged by a nut 1' to secure the device in position.

In the modification shown in Figure 9 the stud d is riveted directly to the plate ,n and a screw s in threaded engagement with the aperture in the enlargement p serves to clamp the detachable device to the brim a without the necessity of making any holes in the latter.

Figures 10, 1l and 12 illustrate a further modication of the invention which also does not ne essitate making any holes in the helmet. In this form of the invention the bearing b is formed by curving back a tongue from a narrow plate n shaped to underlie the brim a of the helmet and formed with a` retroverted lip as at o, Figures 6 and 7. The studs d are mounted directly on the plate n which is made from thin high tensile steel sheet and is integral with two arched radial arms u u from each cf which is pressed a stiffening rib and said arms are apertured at their junction to receive a screw o which passes through the crown h of the helmet to secure the lining or head band indicated at w of the helmet. Hence, after removing said lining or head band the lip o of the visor device may be engaged with the brim a of the helmet, the plate n and arms u u located, the lining or head band replaced and the whole secured by means of the screw v.

The form of the invention illustrated by Figure 13 depicts a slight variation with regard to the linl:` support at the front of the visor f and is applicable to the different forms of the invention hereinbefcre set forth. It will be observed that only the rear links such as e are pivoted to the lower rear corners of the visor f as at g and that at the front a single centrally disposed link :r is carried at its upper end by a bearing b whilst its lower end is pivoted at y to the front of the visor f. If desired a pair of links such as shown at :c in Figure 13 may be employed provided they are spaced so as not to interfere with the vision of the wearer of the helmet.

I claim:

1. In a helmet or the like construction, a retractable visor, and means mounting said visor for movement from an upper retracted position inside said helmet to a lower, extended position over the eyes of the wearer, comprising rst pivot means on opposite sides, respectively, of said visor, second pivot means on opposite sides, respectively, of said helmet, a pair of links connecting the pivot means on each side of the visor with the pivot means on the corresponding side of the helmet whereby said visor swings downwardly and forwardly in an arc about said second pivot, third pivot means on the front of said helmet spaced from said second pivot means, and resilient linkage means linking said third ivot means and said visor, the effective length of said resilient linkage means being substantially greater than the length of said links.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, said resilient linkage means comprising a bent spring wire having one end connected to said third pivot means, and pivot means on the front of said visor connected to the other end of said wire.

3. In a helmet or the like construction, a retractable visor, and means mounting said visor for movement from an upper retracted position inside said helmet to a lower, extended position over the eyes of the wearer, comprising rst pivot means on opposite sides, respectively, of said visor, second pivot means on opposite sides, respectively, of said helmet, a pair of links connecting the pivot means on each side of the visor with the pivot means on the corresponding side of the helmet whereby said visor swings downwardly and forwardly in an arc about said second pivot means, third pivot means on the front 0f said helmet spaced from said second pivot means. and resilient means linking said third pivot means and each of said rst pivot means whereby, during movement of said visor from retracted to extended position, slightly to deform said resilient means.

4. The combination claimed in claim 3, said resilient linkage means comprising a U-shaped member formed of resilient wire, the ends of said member being connected to said rst pivot means, the bight of said member being connected to said third pivot means.

5. The combination claimed in claim 1, said helmet including a brim at the front thereof, said third pivot means being mounted on the underside of said brim.

6. In a helmet or the like, a protective visor arranged for pivotal mounting in relation to-said helmet so that it may be lowered to an extended position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet or raised to a retracted position inside the helmet, said helmet having a brim, support means for said visor comprising link means, one Vend of which is pivotally mounted on an axis transversely of the helmet beneath the front of said brim and the other end of which is pivoted to said visor, and a pair of links, one at each side ofthe helmet, each of the members of said pair of links being pivoted at one end beneath said brim on a transverse axis situated in rear of the rst mentioned axis, and at its other end to the visor.

7. In a helmet or the like, a protective visor arranged for pivotal mounting in relation to said helmet so that it may be lowered to an extended position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet or raised to a retracted position inside the helmet, `said helmet having a brim, support means for -said visor comprising link means, one end of which is pivotally mounted on an axis transversely of the helmet beneath the front of said brim, and the other end of which is pivoted to said visor, and apair of links, one at eachside of the helmet, each member of said pair of links being pivoted at one end beneath said brim on a transverse axis situated in rear of the iirst mentioned axis, and at its other end to the visor, each of said pair of links being shorter than the link means so that said links pass through a dead center position as the visor is lowered or raised.

8. In a helmet or the like, a protective visor arranged for pivotal mounting in relation toY said helmet so that it may be lowered Ato an extended position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet or raised to a retracted position inside the helmet, said helmet having a brim, support means for said visor comprising link means, one end of which is pivotally mounted on an axis transversely of the helmet beneath the front of said brim and the other end of which is pivoted to said visor, and a pair of links, one at each side of the helmet, one oi each member of said pair of links being pivoted at one end beneath said brim on a transverse axis situated in rear of the rst mentioned axis, and at its other end to the visor, the link means being resilient and each of said pair of links being shorter than the link means so that said links pass through a dead center position as the visor is lowered or raised.

9. In a helmet or the like, a protective visor arranged for pivotal mounting in relation to said helmet, so that it may be lowered to an extended position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet or raised to a retracted position inside the helmet, said helmet having a brim, support means for said Viso-r comprising link means constituting a pair of arms, one on each side of said helmet pivotally mounted at its mid-portion on an axis transversely of the helmet beneath the front of said brim, the free ends of said arms being pivoted to said visor on a transverse axis situated in rear of the rst mentioned axis, and a pair of links, one at each side of the helmet, each of said links being pivoted at one end beneath said brim on a transverse axis situated in rear of the iirst mentioned axis, and at its other end to the visor on the second mentioned transverse axis, said arms being resilient and each of said pair of links being shorter than said arms so that said arms and said links pass through a dead center position as the visor is lowered or raised.

10. In -a helmet or the like, a protective visor arranged 'for pivotal mounting in relation to said helmet Vso that it may be lowered lto extended position in front of the eyes of the wearerof the helmet or raised to a retracted position inside the hehnet,-said helmet having a brim, support means for said visor, comprising a link, one end of which is pivotally mounted on an axis transversely of the Ihelmet beneath the front of said brim and the other end of which is pivoted to said visor, and a pair of links, one at each side of the helmet, each member of said pair of links being pivoted at one end beneath said brim on a transverse axis situated in rear of the rstmentioned axis and at its other end to the visor, each nof said pair of links being shorter than the -rst mentioned link so that said links pass througha dead center position as the visor is lowered or raised. Y

11. In a helmet or the like, a protective visor arranged for pivotal mounting in relation'to said helmet so that it Ymay be lowered to an extended position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet or raised to a retracted position inside 'the helmet, said helmet having a brim, support means for said visor comprising link means Apivotally mounted at its mid-portion on an axis transversely of the helmet beneath the front of said brim, said link means constituting a pair of arms one at each side of the helmet, the free ends of said arms being pivoted to said visor on a transverse'axis situated in rear of the rst mentioned axis, and of a pair of links, one at each side of the helmet, each member of said pair of links being pivoted at one end beneath said brim on a transverse axis situated in rear of the rst mentioned axis, and at its other end tothe visor on the second mentioned transverse axis, each of said pair of links being shorter than said arms so that said arms and said links pass through a dead center position as the visor is loweredor raised.

l2. In a helmet or the like, a protective vvisor arranged for pivotal mounting in relation to said helmet so that it may be lowered to an extended position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the is pivotally mounted on an axis transversely of.

the helmet beneath the front of said brim, and the other end of which is pivoted to said visor, and a pair of links, one at each side of the helmet, each member of said pair of links being pivoted at one end beneath said brim on a transverse axis situated in rear of the first mentioned axis, and at its other end to the visor, and each of said pair of links being shorter than the first mentioned links so that said links pass through a dead center position as the visor is lowered or raised.

13. In a helmet or the like, a protective visor arranged for pivotal mounting in relation to said helmet so that it may be lowered to an extended position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet or raised to a retracted position inside the helmet, said helmet having a brim, support means for said visor, comprising link means pivotally mounted at its mid-portion on an axis transversely of the helmet beneath the front of said brim, said link means constituting a pair of arms, one at each side of the helmet, the free ends of said arms being pivoted to said visor on a transverse axis situated in rear of the rst mentioned axis, and a pair of links, one at each side of the hehnet, each member of said pair of links being pivoted at one end beneath said brim on a transverse axis situated in rear of the rst mentioned axis, and at its other end to the visor on the second mentioned transverse axis, each of said pair of links being shorter than said arms so that said arms and said links pass through a dead center position as the visor is lowered or raised.

14. In a helmet or the like, a protective visor arranged for pivotal mounting in relation to said helmet so that it may be lowered to an extended position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet or raised to a retracted position inside the helmet, said helmethaving a brim, support means for said visor comprising a link, one end of said link being pivotally mounted on an axis transversely of the helmet beneath the front of said brim, and thc other end of said link being pivoted to said visor, and a pair of links, one at each side of the helmet, each member of `said pair of links being pivoted at one end beneath said brimron a transverse axis situated in rear of the rst mentioned axis, and at its other end to the visor, the first mentioned link being pivoted to the front o said brim in a bearing carried by a plate adapted to be attached to the underside o said brim.

15. In a helmet or the like, a protective visor arranged for pivotal mounting in relation to said helmet so that it may belowered to an extended position in front of the eyes of the wearer of the helmet or raised to a retracted position inside the helmet, said helmet having a brim, support means for said visor comprising link means pivotally mounted at its mid-portion on an axis transversely of the helmet beneath the front of said brim, said link means constituting a pair of arms, one at each side of the helmet, the free ends of said arms being pivoted to said visor on a transverse axis situated in rear of the iirst mentioned axis, and a pair of links, one at each side of the helmet, each member of said pair of links being pivoted at one end beneath said brim on a transverse axis situated in rear of the first mentioned axis, and at its other end to the visor on the second mentioned transverse axis, the iirst mentioned link being pivoted to the front of said brim in a bearing carried by a plate adapted to be attached to the underside of said brim.

16. A protective visor as claimed in claim 15, wherein said plate is retroverted and wherein said pair of links are pivoted at their upper ends in bearings carried by said plate.

17. A protective visor as claimed in claim 15, wherein said plate is retroverted and the retroverted portions thereof are provided with means for clamping the device in position on said brim and wherein said pair of links are pivoted at their upper ends in bearings carried by said plate.

18. A protective visor as claimed in claim 15, wherein said plate is retroverted and is provided with arched radial arms for engaging a screw passed through the crown of the helmet and wherein said pair of links are pivoted at their upper ends in bearings carried by said plate.

19. A- protective visor as claimed in claim 1, a retroverted plate adapted to be attached to the underside of the brim of said helmet, said lrst pivot means being carried by said plate.

20. A protective visor as claimed in claim 1, a retroverted plate adapted to be attached to the underside of the brim of said helmet, said first pivot means being carried by said plate, and means on the retroverted portions of said plate for clamping the plate in position on the brim.

21. A protective visor as claimed in claim 1, a retroverted plate adapted to be attached to the underside of the brim of the helmet, said plate having arched radial arms engaging a. screw passed through the crown of the helmet, said rst pivot means being carried by said plate.

MARCEL JULES oDrLoN LOBELLE. 

